The Home Environment

Autism is a disorder that is very demanding on the entire family. Parents and siblings are faced with significant obstacles on a daily basis. Living with an individual who has autism can be a source of stress for family members. Some of the sources of stress derive from the specific characteristics of autism and related pervasive developmental disorders. Communication and social deficits can be detrimental to the home environment and behavioral problems can affect every waking hour. Many individuals with autism require care around the clock. Grooming and self care pose great challenges and sensory issues can make bathing and eating overwhelming obstacles on a daily basis. Sleep problems are common among the autistic population. Some individuals may sleep excessively while others do not seem to sleep at all. Maintaining a daily routine in the home environment is challenging and keeping the many appointments for meetings, doctor visits and therapies can be overwhelming. Safety awareness is a major concern for parents and caretakers of autistic children. Special consideration has to be made to ensure the autistic individual's safety because he is not always aware of the consequences of his actions. With all of the stresses and challenges the family faces many look to processes like Wraparound for in-home therapeutic services. Wraparound is an approach that uses specific interventions to reach goals outlined in a treatment plan developed for the child.